Malleable nail-strap



Nov. 17, 1959 w. H. STEWART MALLEABLE NAIL-STRAP Filed March 7, 1957FIGS FIGZ

F|G.6 FIG? INVENTOR WILLIAM H. STEWART ATTORNEY United States PatentMALLEABLE NAIL-STRAP William H. Stewart, Jatirey, N.

Application March 7, 1957, Serial No. 644,620

14 Claims. (Cl. 2248-41) This invention relates to a malleable straightnail-like fastener which may be referred to as a single wraparoundjacketed nail strap, and which is specifically adapted to be driven buta short distance into a supporting structure such as a wall, there beingmeans limiting the amount of entrance thereof into the wall to correctlyposition the jacket beside the object to be held, the exposed singlejacketed portion th'ereof then being easily bent about an object whichis to be held to the wall, such objects being for instance conduits,electric cables, and similar articles.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a singlestraight, malleable nail-like strap which comprises a pointed shank atone end and a striking head atop the single jacket at the other end,there being drive stops provided on the strap having the purpose oflimiting the degree of entrance thereof into a support to control theposition of the exposed portion or single wraparound jacket, which isstraight but distortable so as to be quickly and easily bent about anobject to be held to a support in close conformance thereto andsubstantially exactly positioning the same in desired relationship.

Other objects include the formation of difierentpoints I and meansthereon for resisting extraction; the provision of sheet metal screwthreads or threads adapted for nuts, drive screw points for the shanks,etc., but in? all cases the device essentially comprises the shank whichmay be driven into a' support as far as the drive stops, together witha, malleable distortable exposed single jacketed portion adapted to bebent around the object to be held.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1' is a view in elevation illustrating a form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof;

Fig. 3 illustrates a different-form of the invention;

Fig. 4 illustrates the device of Fig. 3 in use;

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are elevational viewsillustrating modifications;

Fig.9 illustrates a still further modification, particularly withrespect to the shank;

Fig. 10 illustrates a modification of the construction of Fig. 9,;

Fig. 11 shows a still further modification;

Fig. 12 illustrates the same in use;

Fig. 13 illustrates the construction of Figs. 11 and-12' modified by theprovision of notches therein; and

Fig. 14 illustrates a few sectional contours which may be used in thejacket. i

In providing supporting means for conduits, electric cables, pipes, etc.for support on walls, beams; and the like, it has been the custom in thepast to utilize a rigid pre-formed hook-shaped device which is fastenedwith additional screws to the wall or beam invthe expected p0,- sitionof the object to be supported, or theobject may be ice held by one handwhile thepre-forrned device is attempted to be driven into the supportin the correct position with the other hand. This obviously may resultin a very awkward operation and in inaccurate positioning of the objectas well as in providing the hooked support or strap in a position whichmay be canted. In some cases, the pre-formed strap is spoiled and mustbe thrown away and another one substituted.

By use of the present invention, however, this single jacketed straightfastener or nail may be driven into a support where it is needed andthen bent over. into very close engagement with a pipe or cable or otherobject 'Which is to be supported and the malleable characteristic of thenew single jacket nail strap is such as to provide for very close andtight engagement therewith so that the object is held better than by thepre-forrned devices of the prior art and the nail strap is applied muchmore quickly and easily without the use of additional fasteners.

The present invention may assume many different forms and one such formis illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 wherein the nail strap may be made bypunching from strips, and comprises a flat shank 10 having a spade point.12 and a single jacket or enlarged head or main portion 14 which isflat and in thesame plane as the shank. The enlarged main portion orjacket, however, provides shoulders 16 and when the head end as at 18 isstruck with a hammer, the shank is entered into a supporting structurebut only so far as allowed by the shoulders 16, leaving the correctlength of the jacket extended to be wrapped over the object to be held.

It will be at once seen that the nail strap as thus far described willbe inserted in a structure in parallel with the pipe, cable, or otherelement to be held and that once so located, the main portion or singlejacket 14 is then easily bent with the hammer or other tool about theobject to be held as will be apparent to those skilled in the art insuch a way that the object is tightly engaged and firmly held in theexact position desired. The spade point prevents the nail strap fromtwisting or turning and severs the fibers of wooden supports to preventsplitting.

A modification of this device is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 wherein theshank 2% is provided with locking indentations in side fins as at 22 sothat the shank is more resistent to being withdrawn, while the finsguide the shank and provide against twisting or tipping in softmaterials when the jacket is bent over. Character 24- indicates thesingle jacket, and if desired, a longitudinal rib 26 may be formedwithin the head or jacket and throughout the length of the shank tocarry the hammer blow from the head to the point, and When bent over asin Fig. 4, the rib forms the back-bone or bridge which takes the strainof the object being held.

in this case if desired, a bent-up drive stop foot which is indicated at28 may be utilized in carrying out the invention, as well as or in placeof shoulders such as at 16. In any event, it is a very simple matter tobend the body portion 24 of the straight, single-jacketed nail strapover upon the object 30 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 after thesingle jacketed straight nail has been first driven into a support.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate a modification of the device wherein theshank is indicated at 34 and may be dented as at 36 in any way desired.The one-piece head or jacket is indicated at 38 and this is enlarged asbefore to form drive stop shoulders 40. The rib 42 may be utilized ifdesired in order to stiffen the head or jacket 38 as it is being struckby a hammer at 44 to drive the same into a wall or other support, and togive the single wrap-around jacket rigidness and conformity of shapewhen it is hammered over the object to be held.

Fig. 8 illustrates a form of the invention similar to that in Pig. 5,but in this case the same may be provided with a pair of spaced parallelribs or beads 46.

In this respect, it is to be understood that the locking means such asnotches 22, 36, etc. may assume any form desired such as annular rings,slots, prongs, inclined slits, burs, notches, etc.

In Fig. 9 there is shown an elongated nail strap 48 having a drive-screwpoint or shank 50 and shoulders 52 comparable to those at 40 and 16.This nail strap may also be provided with a longitudinal rib 54 and astriking head 56 if desired.

Fig. 10 ShOWs a modification of the device shown in Fig. 9 which isgenerally similar but in this case is pro vided with a threaded shank 58having a nut 60 thereon for application to threaded holes or to steelgirders or the like. In this respect, it is to be understood that otherkinds of screw points such as those made for sheet metal or wood screwsmay also be used without departing from the scope of the invention. Astop 59 may appear on the shank 58 for positioning the malleable jacketbeside the object to be held.

Fig. 11 shows a further form of the device wherein the shank is providedby cold forming and has depressions as at 62 forming taper wedge-likelocks, or spurs, and an enlarged member 64 forms a stop shoulder at theside of the strap opposite the object 30 to be held, as indicated inFig. 12. In this case, there may be also used a rib 66 and the shank isprovided with a point 68. It is to be noted that enlarged portions 70may be reversely directed in order to better resist extraction from thesurface 72 to which the object 30 is to be attached.

In Fig. 13, the construction of the nail strap is the same as beforeexcept that it may be provided with a series of notches either in therib or in the head or in the jacket, these notches being indicated at 74and determining the degree of resistance to distortion or bending of thenail or strap as it is being bent around the object to be held.

It is to be understood that the ribs or beads may assume different formsor sections and may be at one side or both sides of the headed enlargedportions of the single jacketed nail straps, see Fig. 14. It is also tobe noted that in some cases these ribs will be omitted completely andthe nail straps such as shown in Fig. 1 will be utilized. The stops maybe located at either side of the shank or all about the same; and thejacketed portion of the straps may be transversely curved if desired.

It is believed that it will be seen that this invention provides a newand improved nail strap which is very easy to use and by which objectsmay be held better and more firmly than by devices of the prior art. Theuse of the novel nail straps with the single wrap-around jacket willresult in holding the objects to the supports more positively and inmore accurate position, and the action of the main body or jacket is tobe in the nature of wrapping about the object to be held, as distinctfrom prior art devices for holding similar objects.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A one-piece unitary driven fastener and holding device comprising agenerally straight co-planar malleable metal member having two mainportions including a sharpened shank which is relatively narrow andadapted to be driven into a support, the other part being relativelyelongated and generally wider although co-planar with the shank andforming a pair of shoulders, one at each side of the shank to limit theextent to which the fastener may be entered into the support to apredetermined degree, the wider portion of the fastener being malleableand adapted to be shaped about an object to be held in the support oncethe shank is in position in the support.

2. A driven fastener and holding device comprising a generally flatshank to be driven into a support, a point at one end of the shank, theother end thereof being adapted to be struck to drive the point into thesupport, a shoulder intermediate the ends of the fastener limiting theextent to which the shank may be entered into the support and causing aportion of the fastener adjacent the said other end to be exposed, saidexposed portion being generally flat and malleable to be bent about anobject to be held to the support, the bend being transverse to the planeof the fastener, and a rib on the device from end-to-end thereof, saidrib forming the point on the shank at one end and a striking head on theother end.

3. A one-piece, unitary driven fastener and holding device comprising agenerally fiat shank to be driven into a support, a point at one end ofthe shank, the other end thereof being adapted to be struck to drive thepoint into the support, a shoulder intermediate the ends of the fastenerlimiting the extent to which the shank may be entered into the supportand causing a portion of the fastener adjacent the said other end to beexposed, said exposed portion being generally flat and malleable to bebent about an object to be held to the support, the bend beingtransverse to the plane of the fastener, the exposed portion being widerthan the shank, and a foot on the shoulder, the foot being at the sideof the device facing the object.

4. The fastener of claim 3 wherein the wider exposed portion of thefastener extends laterally past the shank at both edges thereof.

5. A driven fastener and holding device comprising a shank to be driveninto a support, a point at one end of the shank, the other end thereofbeing adapted to be struck to drive the point into the support, meanslimiting the extent to which the shank may be entered into the supportand causing a portion adjacent the said other end to be exposed, saidexposed portion being malleable to be formed about an object to be heldto the support after being positioned in the support, and a longitudinalrib the length of the exposed portion of the fastener, said ribcontrolling and maintaining the form of the fastener closely to theshape of the object.

6. A one-piece, unitary nail-strap for securing an object to a supportcomprising a pointed shank, an enlarged headed portion thereon, the headand point being at opposite ends of the strap, the enlarged portionbeing malleable to be bent about the object with the shank embedded inthe support, the enlarged headed portion forming a stop for limiting theextent of the nail-strap to be driven into the support, said enlargedportion being provided with a longitudinal rib adapted to aid inmaintaining the headed portion in bent position about the ob ject.

7. The nail-strap of claim 6 including a longitudinal series of spacednotches in the rib.

8. A nail-strap for securing an object to a support comprising a pointedshank, an enlarged headed portion thereon, the head and point beingatopposite ends of the strap, the enlarged portion being malleable to bebent about the object with the shank embedded in the support, theenlarged headed portion forming a stop for limiting the extent of thenail-strap to be driven into the support, a rib extending fromend-to-end of the nail-strap, and a series of. alternate narrow andwider sections on the shank.

9. A one-piece, unitary nail-strap for securing an object to a supportcomprising a pointed shank, an enlarged headed portion thereon, the headand point being at opposite ends of the strap, the enlargedportion'being malleable to be bent about the object with the shankembedded in the support, the enlarged headed portion forming a stop forlimiting the extent of the nail-strap to be driven into the support,said nail-strap being provided with a, longitudinal rib from end-to-endthereof.

10. The unitary nail strap of claim 9 including means .and a single flatheaded portion forming a bendable jacket on the shank, the single flatheaded portion being adapted to be bent around and jacket objects to befastened to the support, and a controlling longitudinal rib extendingsubstantially the length of the single flat bendable portion formingmeans controlling the distortable characteristics of the bendableWrap-around portion.

13. The single straight nail-like fastener and holding device of claim12 wherein the shank is pointed and adapted to be driven into thesupport by blows on the headed portion.

14. A single straight nail-like fastener and holding device comprising asingle wrap-around malleable headed jacket and a shank on the headedjacket designed to be attached to a support, stop means on the fastenerto correctly position the bendable malleable headed jacket beside theobject to be held before bending, said exposed rnaileable jacket beingrelatively straight, but distortable to be bent around the object to beheld to the support after the shank has been driven into the support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.22,992 Rachlin Mar. 30, 1948 573,101 ONeill Dec. 15, 1896 1,632,327Berger June 14, 1927 2,309,261 Tallman Jan. 26, 1943 2,681,196 Lind June15, 1954

